Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-12-08

ana Grdly. IL you COulQ nave your wa
and you thought would marry with on
of your two boys, which OF them wonlt
you prefer it should be!''
"Ella!"
Answer me-which one?"
"Oh, Jack, Jack! thousand times
Jack?"
'Hush! Not another word! Go dry you
eyes and hold your peace"
/ Later, on that same afternoon, Jacl
entered the cottage, finding his mother il
he had found a good lodging hous,
which he could take when he pleased ani
keep as long as he pleased.
He was still speaking when Ella, with {
light straw hat on her head, entered ths
room and put her hald on his strong
arm.
He trembled like an aspen.
slack, will you please come with me?
have something to say to you"
He went with her out OF doors, out into
the garden and into pretty little arbol
of Towering vines.
courage and eli her strength, and hel
palpable as now, gave her help-"Jack
why are you going away?"
He started as from a blow and gazeo
into her face.
CELIA, dent ask me. Let me go!
must go!'
"Jack, why must you go!"
He looked at her, his frame shook from
top to toe; he tried to speak, but could
not.
The girl had taken him unawares.
/ Ia had not hapr vsranarpd for snph @
question from her lips.
"Jack!" reaching his hand up to his
great, broad shoulder, 'would you not be
willing to stop at home if I asked you to
do it?''
"You? Ella, why should you ask me?'
because the old home will seem to me
deserted with you gone from it. Really
Jack, if you persist in going I believe
shall go, too"
CELIA, Ella! No, no, no! You do not
mean it. Let me go!"
"Don't be foolish, Jack. Open your
eyes. What is it you think do not
mean?"
| single moment the strong Lac strug-
| gled with himself, and then burst forth
CELIA, love you! love you with all the
love that is within me, as | have, I be.
|
to NE the all mall of life. Oh, how
love you! Could you love me any in re-
turn"
eyes, dear Jack" the brave girl replied
| frankly and honestly, at the same time
giving him her hand. 81 love you with
all my heart and with all my strength
Will you stay now?"
he caught her to his bosom and held
her there, long, long time.
ooh, Ella! This is not dream. Can
all this happiness be mine?"
"Ah! you share it with me, dear Jack
for in all my life was never before SO
entirely, SO supremely happy as am at
this moment. Oh, Jack! 1 love you
very, very deeply, and do not fear to
trust my life in your hands.
Darling! Oh, how I will strive for
your good! And how devoutly do thank
providence for this browning JOY and
blessing of my life!"
Half an hour later they went in, hand
in hand, and when the widow saw, her
over whelming Joy was speeches..
Bnt she found her speech by-and-by
and then they sat down, and very soon
she had heard the whole story.
And that evening Harry heard the
story.
| At first he refused to believe it, but
when he had heard it from Elias own
lips he could doubt no more.
His pride was more deeply hurt than
! his heart in truth, himself was the only
thing on earth which he wholly and
heartily loved.
For time he was very bitter, feeling
that he had been wronged and defraud
ed, but his ill-temper fell back upon him
self, having 40 power to mar the happi
ness of others; and then he became con
scious of the facs-when he saw that his
making himself unhappy did not drive
thes miles from the faces of the other
inmates of the cottage-he held his peace
and ceased to find fault.
Several years had passed; the children
of Jack and Ella were as bright faced an6
smiling as were their parents. Harry haG
found him a wife, and was the father OF
one child, pale, dark-eyed boy, wher
one day, as the two CHANGED to be for
little tim alone together at Jacks fine
residence, Harry looked upon his hostess
and said: celia, never asked the ques
ton, and yet have often desired much
to know when it was that you first began
to like Jack. Are you willing TO tell me?'
81 always liked him, Harry. Howcoulo
help it?'
$50 you liked me. You will not deny
that. I mean, when did you first make
up your mind that you preferred him te
me?"
"Harry, you would be angry if should
tell YOU"
He promised that he would not-prom
ised SO solemnly that she finally consent
ed to tell him.
And she told him of the scene with
which our story opens. She told him
how she had heard him answer his moth
or, and then how Jack had answered.
She SO reproduced the scene that he
could not dispute it.
| Harry" she said, in conclusion, Gin
that hour knew that could never be
wholly happy as your wife. The man
who could SO speak to his aged mother
would be likely to speak still mere harsh
| ly to his wife after the glamor of the
honey moon was gone and business cares
had settled upon him."
Harry did not care to pursue the SUBJ
ject.
He had learned what he sought to know
Il 1r-ix- hi cor